Spring-loaded cover mechanism for pyrophoric lighters



E. KGRNER April 2, 1963 SPRING-LOADED COVER MECHANISM FOR PYROPHORIC LIGHTERS Filed Jan. 51, 1961 Myer; or

Quake KM/ER a United States Patent 3,i83,555 SRNG$GADED CGVER IviECiiAisliSM F03 PYRQPHGRRI LIGHTERS EriCZ'l Eiirner, Fichtnergasse 14, Vienna XEH, Austria Filed 31, 15561, Ser. No. 76,229 Claims priority, application Austria Feb. 8, 1960 7 Claims. (11. 677.1)

This invention relates to a springsloaded cover mechanism for pyrophoric lighters, which mechanism is of special advantage in connection with liquid-fueled lighters, the fuel tank of which contains only a liquid charge, in the absence of wadding or the like. In the present connection the term spring-loaded cover mechanism is directed to a cover arrangement in which a springloaded cover, which normally covers the flame station, flies open when a lock has been released and by doing so rotates the friction wheel whereby the igniting spark is struck out of the pyrophoric flint. Closing of this cover usually causes the straining of a spring to store the power required for opening the cover in the next igniting operation.

Such spring-loaded covers have the disadvantage that the spring which opens the spring-loaded cover is held almost permanently in a strained condition, whereby the life of this spring is greatly reduced.

Other lighters are known, in which the movement of the cover to drive the friction wheel is produced by pressure exerted on the cover by the thumb of the hand which holds the lighter. There are also lighters in which this finger pressure is transmitted to the cover by a transmitting mechanism. Whereas these lighters are widely used, they have a disadvantage which renders their use as liquid-filled lighters objectionable: Since the cover is not firmly urged against its seat, the cover may be unintentionally lifted. When such lifting takes place while the container is not in a vertical position, fuel will flow out of the container. The use of a stronger spring to urge the cover against its seat in order to render an unintended opening more diflicult is possible only with great restriction because the force of this spring must be overcome when sparks are to be produced. Lighters which require an extremely long finger pressure for actuation are unsatisfactory.

A spring-loaded cover mechanism for pyrophoric lighters has been proposed, in which a motion-transmitting storage spring provided between the spring-loaded cover and a finger-operated straining member will not move the spring-loaded cover in the opening sense until the straining member has been displaced to impart a predetermined stress to the spring while the spring-loaded cover is closed and until the spring-loaded cover has been released by a locking means holding the cover in its closed position. Whereas this design aflords some protection against an unintended lifting of the cover, the latter is also held closed by a fairly strong spring and it is obvious that the reaction force of this spring must become effective at some time during the straining of the spring. This force must be overcome by the finger of the hand which operates the lighter and renders the manipulation of the lighter more difficult.

A spring-loaded cover mechanism of the type mentioned last hereinbefore is characterized according to the invention in that the locking means comprise a toggle joint, which when the spring-loaded cover is closed as sumes a straightened position in which the toggle joint precludes a movement of the spring-loaded cover and from which this joint is moved to an angle position permitting of a relaxation of the storage spring to open the spring-loaded cover at the end of each movement whereby the cover loading spring is strained, which consists of a cover loading spring in a manner known per se.

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The accompanying diagrammatic drawings serve to explain this feature and other features of the invention and illustrate byway of example an embodiment of the present spring-load cover mechanism.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken on line 1-1 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line IIII of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3. shows the upper portion of the lighter of the invention in side elevation.

FIG. 1 shows the spring-loaded cover 1, which is fastened on a shaft 2 journaled in the side walls 19 of the lighter housing. Rotation of the cover drives the friction wheel 3 which is fixedly fastened to the shaft 2. For the sake of clarity, the wheel 3 is shown in phantom view in FIG. 1. Thus, sparks are struck out of the flint 4- when the cover is being opened. The spring-loaded cover accommodates the wick cap, which is not shown, as it is not required for the understanding of the invention, and which seals the flame station 11 when the lighter is closed. 5 is the straining member, which consists here of a segment which is rotatable on the shaft 10 and is knurled for a reliable engagement by the thumb of the actuating hand. The storage spring or cover loading spring 7 surrounds a bar 6 and is guided by the same. At one end, 60, the bar 6 is pivoted to the spring-loaded cover 1 whereas the other end ob of the bar is slidably mounted in a pivoted part 8, which is rotatably connected to the straining wheel 5. This pivoted part 8 forms one abutment of the spring, and a disc 9 \Ol the like firmly connected to part 6 forms the other abutment of the spring 7.

The cover 1 is locked in its closed position by the toggle joint 15, 16 when the same is straightened. This is theoretically sufiicient. For reasons of manufacturing practice the toggle joint will be moved somewhat beyond the straightened position to ensure that it will be held in this position by the engagement of one of the lovers or rods 15 with a stop 13. One end of the toggle joint is connected at 17 to the spring-loaded cover 1. The other end is connected at 18 to the outside wall or housing 19 of the lighter. The joint 29 which connects respective end portions of the rods 15, 16 is movable. An extension 16a of the lever 16 extends into the path of movement of an vactuating pin 21, which is firmly connected to the straining member 5-. The mode of operation is as follows:

When the straining member 5 is strained by a rotation in the direction of arrow B, the spring 7 will be strained or stressed whereas the cover 1 will remain in its closed position because the toggle joint 15, 16 remaining in its straightened position will prevent a rotation of the cover about the shaft 2. Gnly when the actuating pin 21 strikes the extension 16a of the lever 16 will the latter be moved out of its position of rest through the theoretically pertectly straightened position and be angled; from this time the spring 7, having been strained in the meantime as a result of the rotation of '5, can relax to exert a strong opening impulse to the spring-loaded cover 1. At the end of this movement the toggle joint has reached the position shown by broken lines. A return spring 14, which may be very weak and which has been strained during the rotation of the member 5, will return the entire system to its initial position as soon as the actuating member 5 is released. The ends of the spring 14 engage respective openings in the actuating member 5 and in a stud 12 fixed on the side wall 19.

A small spring 22, which is firmly connected to the cover 1 by a pin 24', tends to hold the lever 15 in the straightened position and ensures that the toggle joint 15, 16 will assume its correct position of rest, in which it is safely held, the lever 15 engaging the stop 13. The

result, the toggle joints are connected laterally of the actu l ating memtier s. To this end; the latt er c'arries the aroma. ating pin 21 in the form of a pin extendin'g through memhens-: By means of another 'pinzeext'ending through the pivoted part 8, the latter the straining-member These lugs have --'been formed by milling or the like: It-must be 'imaginedthat the entire mechanism is enclosed between the twosidewalls of the lighter housing which are connected' by a non-illustrated topmember;

It is apparent thatthe describedinvention'will enable numerous modifications. For instance, a' design' would be possible which differs from that ofFIGS. 1, 2 in that the spring member 6, 7 is arranged further upwardly atthe" position of the toggle joint 15, 16 whereas the togglejoint would be disposed further below. In that case," the spring 7 would have to be a tension spring' which is tensioned by-the rotation of the straining wheelrath er than compressed, asi'before so that the release of the cover lock causes the spring to pull the cover to its open position rather than to pressit; as described hereinbefore.

A special advantage of the preseiitsystem, which is protected from "an unintended opening of the spring loaded cover, is seen inthat-the rate at'which the spring 7 is strained is without' any significance for the speed at whichthecoverflies' open; i.'e., for'the intensity of the resulting spark and for the force with which the cover 1 is held closed; The magnitude of the movement available for. straining the' spring may be relatively large and the spring may be slowly strained. This means thateven where largeforces are to be stored, sricha lighter can'be operated conveniently without special effort; Thus, the requirement has beenfulfilled to provide a lighter 2 which is actuable even by persons-who have only a small finger pressure.

I claim:. 7

1. In apy'rophoric lighter, incombination,

(a) ahousing; V V

'(b) a cover member rotatable'on said'housingabout anraxisbetween'an open and a closed-position;

(a) two elongated rod meansconstituting a toggle linkage, each rod means having a free longitudinal portion and another longitudinal portion hingedly connected'to the other portion ofthe other-rod means fo'r'pivotal movement of said-free portions toward and way from a' locking position;

is mountedin tw'o lugs Saofi' tially in'a-common direction.

(d) fastening means pivotally securing said free portions to said cover member and to said housing respectively for holding said cover member in said closed position thereof when the free portions of said rod means are in said locking position;

(e) holding means releasably holding said-rod means in said locking position; 7

(f) actuating means manually movable on said housing between an inoperativeand an operative position;

(g) resilient means operatively connected to said cover member for urging the same toward said open positIOIL'ChEICOf when said resilient means is stressed;

7 (h) firstmotion transmitting means connected to saidactuating means for stressing said resilient means during movement 'of 'said'actuatin'g means from said inoperative to said operative position thereof; and (i) second motion transmitting means connected to said actuating. means for releasingzsaid rod means from said' locking position during'said movement of said actuating means. 2. In a-ligh'ter as set forth in claim 1, said rod means in the lockingposition thereof being elongated substan- 3. In a lighter as setiforth in claim'2; said rod meansbeing secured to said cover member and to said-housing by said fastening-means tor hingedimovement of said free longitudinal portions toward each other when said cover member moves from the closeditoward the open position.

4. In a lighter as set forth in claim 2, said second motion transmitting means being connected to said' actuating means for releasing said rod means from said locking posi-' tion after said resilient means is stressed by said first motion'transmitting means. 7

5. In alighter as set fOIthliIl claim' 2, said actuating means beingrotatably mounted on'said housing,:and'spring means permanently urging said actuating means to move toward said inoperative position thereof, 6. Ina lighter as set forth in claim -2, said holding means including stop means on said-housing, and a springmem her on said cover member urging one-"of 'said rodmeans against said stopmeans.-

7. Ina lighter a's setforth' in claim 1, means operatively connected tosaid covermember for 'striking'a spark re= sponsive to the'move'ment of said cover member from the closed-to the open position.

- References Cited in thefil'e'of'this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2 ,652,706 Smyth Sept. 22, 1953 

1. IN A PYROPHORIC LIGHTER, IN COMBINATION, (A) A HOUSING; (B) A COVER MEMBER ROTATABLE ON SAID HOUSING ABOUT AN AXIS BETWEEN AN OPEN AND A CLOSED POSITION; (C) TWO ELONGATED ROD MEANS CONSTITUTING A TOGGLE LINKAGE, EACH ROD MEANS HAVING A FREE LONGITUDINAL PORTION AND ANOTHER LONGITUDINAL PORTION HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE OTHER PORTION OF THE OTHER ROD MEANS FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID FREE PORTIONS TOWARD AND WAY FROM A LOCKING POSITION; (D) FASTENING MEANS PIVOTALLY SECURING SAID FREE PORTIONS TO SAID COVER MEMBER AND TO SAID HOUSING RESPECTIVELY FOR HOLDING SAID COVER MEMBER IN SAID CLOSED POSITION THEREOF WHEN THE FREE PORTIONS OF SAID ROD MEANS ARE IN SAID LOCKING POSITION; (E) HOLDING MEANS RELEASABLY HOLDING SAID ROD MEANS IN SAID LOCKING POSITION; (F) ACTUATING MEANS MANUALLY MOVABLE ON SAID HOUSING BETWEEN AN INOPERATIVE AND AN OPERATIVE POSITION; (G) RESILIENT MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID COVER MEMBER FOR URGING THE SAME TOWARD SAID OPEN POSITION THEREOF WHEN SAID RESILIENT MEANS IS STRESSED; (H) FIRST MOTION TRANSMITTING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID ACTUATING MEANS FOR STRESSING SAID RESILIENT MEANS DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID ACTUATING MEANS FROM SAID INOPERATIVE TO SAID OPERATIVE POSITION THEREOF; AND (I) SECOND MOTION TRANSMITTING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID ACTUATING MEANS FOR RELEASING SAID ROD MEANS FROM SAID LOCKING POSITION DURING SAID MOVEMENT OF SAID ACTUATING MEANS. 